Staff

Jonathan Sas

Jonathan Sas takes on the role of Director of Research after spending 2012/13 as a Sauvé Scholar in Montreal researching the changing dynamics of Canada’s media landscape.

The former editor of The Mark News, his reporting and commentary have appeared in The Tyee,Maisonneuve, National Post, Alternet, J-source, Rabble, and other outlets. Before entering journalism, Jonathan worked as a research coordinator in health policy and health promotion for the Ontario Medical Association.

He holds an M.A. in political science from the University of British Columbia, where he focused on global environmental politics. An environmentalist, unrepentant news junky, theory nerd, and rabid Habs fan, he’s happiest when spending time with friends and family.

A year has passed since the closing event of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission in Ottawa — a brief moment of self-reflection that punctured through a stubborn, willful and long-standing national blindness.

If Stephen Harper’s goal was to design a tax policy to make income inequality in this country even worse, he can pat himself on the back. That’s exactly what the Conservatives’ family income-splitting tax scheme will do.

Research from various organizations across the political spectrum has demonstrated already that this tax policy, projected to cost the federal treasury $3 billion in 2015, would be an expensive and inequitable tax giveaway.

On Monday, Canadians from coast to coast will enjoy Labour Day, a last dash of sun (we hope) before the days quickly shorten and the leaves begin to transform.

Labour Day, of course, is much more than a statutory holiday; welcome time off at the turn of the season. It’s a day set aside to acknowledge the triumphs of worker’s rights and commemorate what has been achieved through the collective efforts of many generations of Canadians.

Here are five important takeaways from today’s Cabinet shuffle. As the old saying goes, 'plus ca change, plus c'est la même chose'.

1. Economic (In)action Plan

Canadians hoping the government would signal willingness to address pressing economic concerns such as growing inequality, rising youth unemployment, a manufacturing crisis, and the rise of precarious work will be disappointed.

This screen grab taken from the Canada Revenue Agency website today promotes a post describing how the "Harper Government's Low-Tax Plan Benefits Canadian Families". It is part of a disturbing pattern of behavior.

Yesterday, Toronto Star journalist Ashley Csanady reacted on Twitter to a controversial U.K. study that found that women around the world, including Canada, are less knowledgeable about current affairs and politics than men are:

I all too often find my female friends (outside of journalism circles) far far less engaged and informed about current affairs

For Canadians who care deeply about acting to stave off dangerous climate change, President Obama’s landmark speech today outlining his administration’s climate action plan likely induced mixed feelings: delight to see the President speak so clearly and resolutely about the moral obligation to take action and to back those sentiments up with some concrete action. And distress at the clear contrast in both tone and substance we get from our Federal government here in Canada.

Right across Canada and around the world, jurisdictions are moving away from coal-fired electricity generation in favour of cleaner options, and this critical debate has finally come to the mainstream in Alberta.

The Alberta NDP has reignited this much-needed discussion with its platform commitment in the current election to “phase out coal-fired electricity generation to reduce smog and greenhouse gas emissions and expand cleaner, greener sources, including wind and solar”.

The historic results of the Alberta election on Tuesday represent a resounding win for progressives. After more than four decades of conservative rule, here’s a primer on the top eight progressive policies Albertans embraced with the election of a majority NDP government under Rachel Notley.